Paramount-WBD Merger Bond Nears Fee Start Amid Job-Loss Fears
In Oakland, Paramount’s $1.88 billion bond tied to the Paramount-WBD antitrust merger was pushed to Sept. 24, with a ticking fee of $7 million per day possible starting Oct. 1 if the deal stalls; the bond could yield up to about $1.3 billion in payouts if the merger fails, alongside a June termination fee deadline. LA County’s Department of Economic Opportunity warns the merger could trigger thousands of LA-area film/TV jobs losses and billions in wages, value added, and tax revenue over three years. The 12-state antitrust trial is set for March 2027, with discovery ongoing and talks about two magistrate judges for settlement; financing is a mix of Larry Ellison equity and a large debt package, with WBD debt around $30B that Paramount would assume.
